House Bill 936

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO PLAN,
ESTABLISH AND OPERATE DEMONSTRATION MODEL EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS;
TO REQUIRE THE CENTERS TO CONCENTRATE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN THREE TO
SIX YEARS OF AGE; TO REQUIRE THE CENTERS TO DESIGN PROJECTS WITHIN AN
EXPERIMENTAL FRAMEWORK OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND DAYCARE SUPPORT; TO
REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS,
ESTABLISH PROCEDURES, EMPLOY PERSONNEL AND TAKE ANY ACTIONS AS DEEMED NECESSARY
TO ENSURE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO REPEAL SECTIONS
37-21-51, 37-21-53 and 37-21-55, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH ESTABLISH THE
EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COUNCIL, CREATE THE
"EARLY LEARNING COLLABORATIVE ACT OF 2007," AND CREATE THE
INTERAGENCY ADVISORY COMMITTEE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE
IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION
1.(1) The State Board of Education is authorized and shall be
responsible for the planning, establishment and operation of demonstration
model early child development centers which, in cooperation with local school
districts or other public agencies, shall concentrate on the cognitive and
affective development of children three (3) to six (6) years of age. The
developmental concentration shall include, but not be limited to health, dental
hygiene, mental health, language and computation skills development, nutrition,
socialization and recreation.

(2)
The centers shall design projects within an experimental framework of early childhood
education and daycare support to objectively test and evaluate educational
ideas, equipment, methods and approaches, newly developed curriculum materials
and reliable educational techniques which have previously lacked quantitative
and qualitative proof in order to have their value demonstrated to local school
districts and other early childhood programs. The early childhood development
centers shall be planned and developed to:

(a)
Demonstrate an educational approach to day care that has widespread use and
adaptability to local educational agencies and the Voluntary Preschool
Education Program; and

(b)
Procure and use federal and private resources in combination with state
resources to attain state educational goals.

(3) The State
Board of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations, establish
procedures, employ personnel and take any steps as it deems necessary to ensure
the implementation of the provisions of this act.